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Fatality Along Highway 12 Near Rio Vista Prompts Renewed Calls For Change

RIO VISTA (KCBS) - Highway 12, which stretches from Solano to San Joaquin County continues to catch the attention of transportation officials who say the road is not as safe as it could be.

The section of roadway has been dubbed "blood alley" because fatalities and accidents are above the state average.

Another fatality this week is a grim reminder that something needs to change.

A 21-year-old Fairfield woman is the latest casualty. She died early Wednesday morning after her car collided with a big-rig in the Delta.

KCBS' Dave Padilla reports:

Bob Macaulay with the Solano Transportation Authority said there are possible solutions.

"Fixing the shoulders and the intersections and to try to put in a full median barrier. Also to ask the question, will we then eventually need to go to four lanes," he said.

But expanding from two lanes to four costs money and Macaulay said the state has a tight-grip on funding.

"If you're not bringing something locally, the state's probably going to send their money somewhere else. To somewhere which does have a similar need but that does have a local contribution."

Macaulay said two-thirds of Highway 12, which covers Solano County, underwent major roadway improvements and it's made a big difference in driver safety.

However, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties have not been as fortunate.

The Solano County Transportation Authority said there were nearly 900 accidents on Highway 12 in nearly three-and-a-half years, ending in 2009, including 10 fatalities.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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